Humanities Express

Stacy Lewis Earns a 2005 Andrew W. Mellon Fellowship for Humanistic Studies

Stacy L. Lewis is one of those exceptional and unforgettable students who carve indelible and distinctive marks of excellence along a straight path defined by academic success. An honors student in Linguistics, with a second honors major in English, Stacy has distinguished herself as one of only 92 recipients of the 2005 Andrew W. Mellon Fellowship for Humanistic Studies. This prestigious, highly competitive fellowship for graduate study is awarded to the nation’s best and brightest undergraduate students with plans to pursue doctoral programs in a chosen field in humanities. This fall as a Ph.D. candidate in Linguistics, Stacy will head to Stanford University, where she plans to continue her current line of research on variation in the adolescent speech community. In her doctoral work, she hopes to come to a better understanding of how individuals perceive social variation and build a linguistic repertoire which can be used in expressing social identity.

Stacy says of her undergraduate years at OSU, "I’ve learned about a wide range of topics, from entomology to Sanskrit to ballet to statistics; that’s the beauty of a liberal arts education. However, some of the most valuable lessons I’ve learned aren’t stated as course objectives on any syllabus. They are lessons about how to think for oneself and how to appreciate the thoughts and opinions of others, as well as how to take advantage of different ways of thinking ... I have gained a deep appreciation for interdisciplinary work, and having the opportunity to learn alongside intelligent, articulate peers in an environment that engenders discussion and debate, I know that I made the right decision to come to Ohio State and make the College of Humanities my home."

We are gratified that Stacy found within our walls the intellectual niche she needed to satisfy her academic and professional aspirations, and among our faculty the vision and inspiration to realize her goals. The College of Humanities takes pride in Stacy’s accomplishments, in the prominence of her work, and in the promise of her future. Stacy’s thirst for knowledge, evident passion for the rewards of intellectual inquiry, and appreciation of the benefits of discovery are the cornerstones of achievement in scholarship, and we are sure of her continuing success.

Congratulations, Stacy, and very best wishes for a fulfilling graduate experience at Stanford and every opportunity for professional prosperity in the years ahead.